Hongbaos Spanish way

Recently the Spanish Government started a new campaign to promote the country´s leading position in many sectors (http://marca.espana.es/en/con-nombre-propio/otras-miradas/punto-de-vista-diferente.php) and help changing the general perception that we are sinking rapidly like Kate Winslett, sorry the Titanic in the movie.

Well although the video is excellent, they forgot to mention one of the areas where our country excels like no other: scandals!!!

Forget about Watergate or Monica Lewinsky (by the way I still cannot believe that she has been not asked to do a detergent commercial. She will be so believable in the role of devoted housewife fighting against evil stains…Maybe she does not want to be considered a spin-off of Carmen Maura in Almodovar´s movie “Women on the verge…”)

Well, coming back to the point. Our scandals are simply better. Who can deny that the Rise and fall of our top folk Singer, “la Pantoja” has more twists and dramatic moments than all seasons of Dallas, Falcon Crest and Dynasty together.

This week, we learnt from the latest scandal affecting the Government, the allegedly black money payments in envelopes to several cabinet members including the Prime Minister.

Well, in this case I have to disappoint all of you as this is not an scandal. Our honest politicians were just celebrating the Chinese tradition of "hóngbāo”, which consist in giving red envelopes with big sums of money to your relatives friends and co-workers mainly during the Chinese New Year celebration but also during family gatherings ( that will explains Miss Mato´s first communion payments etc)

Considering that Madrid has the largest Chinese community in Europe, it only seems normal that our Government adopted such a deeply rooted tradition in China trying to seem a message of friendship between both countries and forget those misunderstandings like the raid against the Chinese mafia in the capital.

Will Gao Ping be the one who taught Mr. Barcenas about the red envelope tradition?

LOST... in Manila

LOST…in Manila

For those passionate fans of hit TV series Lost, that like me, not only got lost, but completely thrown away when the screenwriters, in a move that not even Stephen Hawking would have dared, decided that time and space was more flexible than a Cirque du Soleil artist, well ,we all have a reason to believe again in Lost:

I discovered today that fracture in the universe, not in the mysterious island but in Manila.

If anyone wants to experience it, it is easy. Just close your eyes for a moment when you arrive to the historical area of Intramuros, the former heart of the Spanish colonial Manila. You will instantly have the feeling that you are not in Asia anymore. The architecture, the climate, the Street names and more important the life and warm hearts of the people, will transport you to any city in South America.

It seems that when you turn the corner somebody will be dancing a cumbia in Cartagena. When you hear the local boys calling you Señor in search for a few coins in Exchange of their peculiar historical explanation of the are it only feels right to answer them in Spanish and ask them for a good place to have an empanada.

The historical building now headquarters of the powerful San Miguel corporation, it got me thinking if it wasn’t the cover up for Dharma. Maybe the scene from the last Bourne movie, filmed in front of it, was a clue for all us fans of Lost that still searching for reasons to believe and places that makes us feel emotions.